PLATE 581. 



DiMORPHOTHEOA FBUTioosA, Less. (Fl. Cap. Vol. III., p. 419.) 

 Nat. Order, Composite. 



A small mucli branched decumbent undersbrub. Stems usually trailing on 

 the ground, sometimes erect or suberect, herbaceous except at the base, often 

 rooting at the nodes, laxly leafy, glabrous. Leaves alternate, obovate-spathulate, 

 obtuse and rounded at apex, occasionally with a minute apioulus, gradually tapering 

 to the very base, thick and fleshy, 1|- to 2 inches long, f to 1 inch wide in upper 

 portion, quite entire or occasionally minutely and sparingly toothed, glabrous or 

 minutely scaberulous, midrib rather prominent, veins and veinlets obscure. Flower 

 heads pedunculate, solitary, radiate. Involucre uniseriate, of 8 to 16 lanceolate, 

 acute, green, fleshy scales. Ray florets ligulate, female, their corollas 3-toothed, 

 white above, dull purplish beneath. Disk florets 5-toothed, all abortive. 

 Receptacle convex, glabrous. Young achenes 3-angled, tapering to base, glabrous, 

 with 3 tubercles at apex. Ripe achenes not seen. 



Habitat .- Natal. Usually near the sea coast in sandy soil. Drege ; 

 Williamson: sea beach near Durban, Wood; same locality, April, Wood 902; near 

 Verulam in sandy soil, Jan., Wood 10210; Winkle Spruit, 10 to 20 ft. alt.. Miss 

 Franks {Wood 11899); same locality, Budatis. 



Also in Cape Colony. 



The genus Dimorphotheca includes about 20 species, the whole of which are 

 South African, 4 being found in Natal, the remainder in Cape Colony, Transvaal, 

 and O.R. Colony. Of the 4 found in Natal, the one here described, is usually 

 found in sandy soil near the sea, the other three in the upper districts, and one of 

 these IK Barberise, bears handsome bright purple flowers, and has been introduced 

 into Europe, " but the cultivated specimens do not show the brilliant purple of the 

 wild ones," this plant is, however, rather rare in Natal. None of the species have 

 any economic value, though two or three of them have been cultivated in Europe. 



Fig. 1 , involucre ; 2, ray floret ; 3, style and stigmas of same ; 4, achene ; 5, 

 disk floret ; 6, three of the st^jnens j 7, style and stigmas of disk floret j all enlarged. 



